leftybassman392

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='804844' date='Apr 13 2010, 01:29 PM']I've got the book yea... so will the patterns only be the ones in the book then?[/quote] Yup. Better still, you get to choose which ones you do. Like I said, learn the riffs, practice moving around with changing chords and Bob's yer uncle (or in my case, yer dad ).

[quote name='Doddy' post='805225' date='Apr 13 2010, 07:26 PM']I'm not really up on the whole NVQ/NQF level thing, but I do teach Rockschool exams. Anyway this is taken from their website..... Level 3:qualifications in Level 3 include all A Level grades (A-F) and specially designated Level 3 qualifications such as Rockschool's Awards, Certificate and Diploma for Music Practitioners, and MusicEducators and grades 6, 7 and 8 for Guitar, Bass, Drums, Popular Piano and Vocals.[/quote] What he said. Also, passes at Grades 6 - 8 can be used to count for points in a UCAS application (can't remember the numbers off the top of my head though). I'm pretty sure it applies to the RGT grades in the same way.

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='804376' date='Apr 12 2010, 11:14 PM']Thanks So for the patterns section will I basically be given a written bassline and then have to play it straight away? Or will they play it and I'll have to play how I think it goes?[/quote] They'll be in the grade book (should be 4 of them, from which you can choose 2). Sorry if it sounds confusing but it'll make sense when you get the book. If you've got your wits about you it's easy marks. It's a bit like the 'Riff' section in the Rockschool series if that helps.

'Bass Patterns' means what it says - you have a number of specific patterns to learn note-for-note and regurgitate as required in the exam. 'Performance' is the Bass player's equivalent of the 'Lead Playing' section of the RGT guitar series - you get a chord sequence and a style guide, and the rest is up to you. The main difference is that the patterns are learnt as is and then played as required, whereas the Performance is essentially an improvisation. Hope this helps. I've been an RGT registered tutor for 14 years. If you want more advice on the RGT format, feel free to PM me.

Basically, any cost that you can reasonably claim to have incurred in conducting your business is fair game. There are some good advice pages on the HMRC website, and you could do worse than start there. If it helps, here's a brief outline of some of the things I claim for: My principal source of income is from teaching - I teach Guitar and Bass in all styles, which means I need to own numerous instruments in order to conduct this area of my business. Every instrument I own therefore goes into the pot (along with all my amps and other associated gear). Because most such items count as business assets, you can't claim for their full cost. As part of this work I need to travel across quite a large geographical area, so I claim for the numerous costs incurred in using my car (not just fuel, but maintenance/servicing costs, and indeed the cost of the car itself). However I also use the car for other things, so I claim a percentage of these costs - in my case it's 70% - as long as it's a fair estimate of your pattern of usage you'll be ok. I also teach from home, so I can claim a portion of the running costs of the house as well - utilities, phone, council tax, etc. Usually calculated on the use of a single room, as a fraction of the total number of rooms in the house (other than bathrooms, cloakrooms, etc.) I also earn income from public performance, so I claim for my P.A. (I can't claim for my instruments again 'cos that's illegal!) I also have a small recording facility at my house, and because it's used in connection with my business activities I can claim for the entire contents of the studio, even if (as at present) I'm not actually using it. There's a whole bunch of other stuff as well, and money spent on a decent accountant is definitely money well spent. One of his/her first duties should be to tell you what you can claim, and another should to make sure you're clear on the difference between revenue expenditure and capital expenditure. The bottom line is this - if and when HMRC decide to look at your books, anything you have claimed will be ok as long as you can reasonably justify it in terms of it's contribution to your business activities.

At the risk of repeating myself on this subject, is there any good reason not to set up a sticky thread for transcriptions? I mean I do understand why the forum gets used for this kind of thing, but it's not theory or technique in the strict sense. This would surely provide for everybody's needs... Any mods got any thoughts?

*sighs deeply and mournfully* Handedness is a very complex phenomenon. Regular lefty contributors will know my views on this subject. I really should be launching into a long (and no doubt very technical and therefore tedious) tirade about now. But you know what - if you can't or won't make the effort to find out a bit more about it for yourself, I can't be arsed. Read the following links: [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left_handedness"]Background[/url] [url="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6923577.stm"]The genetic argument[/url] [url="http://www.indiana.edu/~primate/left.html"]Some names you may know[/url] [url="http://lefthandedpiano.com/times.html"]Left handed pianos[/url]

[quote name='Sibob' post='781639' date='Mar 21 2010, 01:31 PM']Depends what strings he's using and how hard he hits them I guess!? What would you prefer?, playing a song with an out of tune guitarist?.....To be honest, the singer should be able to fill in with banter IMO! Si[/quote] That would be my thinking. I used to be a guitarist, and instruments do sometimes go out of tune (and no, it wasn't comfort tuning and neither was it a problem with the instruments - although both are by no means uncommon). I guess I was lucky, but the frontmen I worked with at the time were natural extroverts, very good at audience banter and well able to cover a brief tuning moment. In case someone hasn't said it already, being in a band is (amongst other things) an exercise in co-operation for the greater good. I've always considered it part of the frontman's job to interact with the crowd. If (s)he can't or won't do that then there may be a problem right there.

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='777608' date='Mar 17 2010, 04:24 PM']Send 'em round here. I'll give them each a kick in the nuts for every week of my 51 years. Then, far from being exhausted by this rewarding aerobic exercise, I shall play The Flight Of The Bumblebee at 330bpm over their slumped, bloodied forms. Mimsying little farts.[/quote] When you're done, send them round to my place where I'll dance on their collective skulls as I give them the steroid version of Sabre Dance. I'm 56 and I recently started working with a Fusion band - sax player is the same age as me, but the rest of the band is in their 20's - what a great bunch of guys! I'd forgotten how much fun it can be. Diminished scales, wacky time signatures, gale force tempi - you name it. Pick a note - any note!

Le Bass Gallery ont les meilleurs. Achetez-vous avec assurance.

[quote name='velvetkevorkian' post='766960' date='Mar 7 2010, 03:20 PM']Which sharp eyed mod moved this to Bass guitars without checking what the instrument in question is? [/quote] Does this mean that our hallowed moderators aren't omniscient? That can't be right, shirley...............

I recently discovered that Ibanez have made a special limited edition of the fabulous Lefthanded JS1200L, but have been unable to source it in the UK. Anybody know if it's available here? (I found a couple of outlets in the USA, but I have a feeling US dealers are not allowed to sell Ibanez into the UK market.) Anybody have any information?

[quote name='RhysP' post='759303' date='Feb 27 2010, 06:19 PM']I used to get it all the time with my Cornford guitar amp. If I was using a guitar with single coil pickups the reception was better than on my radio.[/quote] Some single coils do have a certain reputation... I can still remember a mate of mine putting his vintage strat close to his face and singing - you could hear it clearly through the amp!

Apologies if someone's said this already, but might there be a case for a pinned thread for transcriptions within the T&T forum?

Sometimes it's just sooooooo cool to be a leftie!

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='753845' date='Feb 22 2010, 02:15 PM']I apologise in advance for the length of this post. The value is in inverse proportion to the volume. The widespread, though not universal, belief in the inherent superiority of vintage guitars encompasses a number of separate though complementary assertions. Broadly, these are that they play, sound and look better than their modern counterparts. The descriptor of 'cool' is often applied to them. The important point is that these are qualities which are judged subjectively by the individual and can be neither proved or disproved. The only truth upon which we all might agree is that vintage instruments are, by some measure, older than contemporary instruments. Yet the term 'vintage' is less descriptive of an instrument's age than an assertion that the instrument possesses certain desirable qualities absent from other instruments. These qualities are derived not only from the manufacturer who produced it but, through some osmotic process, the culture which pertained at the time of production. Who among us has not sniffed an old guitar and not instantly visualised some fuzzy yet emblematic image of a bygone period? Many in modern society believe themselves to be faced with a contracting horizon and a flattening of distinctive local or national culture. Many see modern life as lacking a quality which may be embodied in certain historic practices or artefacts. These might include antiques, allotment gardening, classic cars, collectables, old musical genres. When people contrast these examples of 'the old ways' with modern life, they often attribute an 'authenticity' or truthfulness to them which stands in stark contrast to 'value-free' contemporary artefacts and culture. This belief is, of course, nothing new. In the UK, shape was first given to the concept by Victorians such as William Morris and Cecil Sharp, who attributed an 'authenticity' to furniture, tools and folk song which they believed to be wholly absent from the age of 'The Machine'. Heidegger pronounced upon authenticity. Existentialism is all about authenticity in a personal sense. Japanese culture venerates authenticity. And, of course, where there is desire there is money to be made. The heritage industry (National Trust, English Heritage, Wm Shakespeare Walking Tours of Stratford Upon Avon), Antiques fairs, retro clothing manufacturers, forgers, Fender Roadworn instruments; the examples are countless and ubiquitous. 'Authentic' sells. The qualities attributed to vintage instruments may have a basis in fact. But the belief is supported by a far wider ranging desire for authenticity. In this respect, vintage basses are simply a tiny corner of a broader social phenomenon. To me, the most interesting aspect is the inconsistency of application. As Bloodaxe rightly noted: If it's a Fender, it's 'mojo'. If it's any other manufacturer, it's just damage.[/quote] Slow day at the office?

What about the Harmonic minor. Or the Hungarian Major (aka Double Harmonic). Or the...

[quote name='bubinga5' post='736635' date='Feb 5 2010, 08:31 PM']hi...does anyone know of a chart diagram that shows all of the harmonic notes on the fret board? thankyou...[/quote] I assume you mean places to find harmonics? Not a chart (and with due apologies) but.... Easiest way is to start with open strings.. 12th fret gives an octave; 7th fret a fifth above that; 5th fret a second octave; 4th fret a third above that (also available at 9th fret); 3rd fret a fifth... Going the other way, 16th fret a third, 19th fret a fifth, 24th an octave... For fretted notes just add the fret number to the above.

My '78 Jazz has a very snug neck fit - no gaps at all on either side. It's lived a full life in the hands of previous owners, but still plays and sounds great. Yes it's a bit on the heavy side and the pickup balance is, er, interesting... . On balance though I'd much rather have it than not.

[quote name='riff raff' post='734284' date='Feb 3 2010, 05:51 PM']looking for a tutor to help correct my appalling fingerstyle technique.all aspects of my technique really.lol.right hand...left hand.... i'm in bridgend.[/quote] I assume you've tried the 'bass tutors' thread elsewhere on the forum? Not trying to be a smart*rse, just asking. It's where I'd be advertising.

+1 to Guitar Toolkit. An excellent app. Last time I showed it to a couple of my students it took me 5 minutes to get it back! Wish all my teaching aids worked as well!

[quote name='silddx' post='730525' date='Jan 31 2010, 01:05 PM']On the balance of probablilities, it's highly unlikely (unless the guy confesses, making any action against him pointless unless he refuses to pay up) that any action would be fruitful. Anyone could have done the damage that night.[/quote] I'd have to agree. Very annoying but hard to see what can be done unless the guy does the decent thing. Maybe Skank had the best solution after all!

My general principle is to ask myself, 'why does he want to use my gear?' If I can't think of a good reason why he shouldn't have his own, then the answer's 'NO'. And unless I know him pretty well and trust him, then the answer's usually 'NO' anyway. The only real exception is when I'm organising a show for multiple bands, and I'm providing the backline. Actually, Dave Marks has an interesting perspective on this one... [url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzGSEgRgkSU"]Here...[/url]